The Star Child's Heir
by ElegantButler
Summary: Now an adult, Dr. Zee departs the Galactica for England in the year 1988.
1. Chapter 1

The Star Child's Heir

(being a Galactica 1980/Max Headroom link fic)

(Disclaimer: Neither Galactica 1980 nor Max Headroom belong to me.)

It had been seven and a half years since the Galactica had found the planet they had so desperately fought their way across the universe to get to. Now it was early 1988, and by now many of their people had settled in North America.

But not all of them settled in the United States. 

One night, after a few hours of listening to a few Earth broadcasts, Dr. Zee summoned Commander Adama to his room.

"You wished to see me, Dr. Zee?" Adama inquired.

"Commander, I do not believe the United States would be the most ideal place for me to live once I leave the Galactica."

"Oh?"

"While it is a good place, and would be perfectly safe, my voice would blend in more readily with the people of a place called England."

"I see," Adama considered. "Well, you are an adult now, so you're free to set up home wherever you think is best. But, please. Keep in touch."

"I do not believe I shall have the time."

"Dr. Zee?"

"I cannot explain at this time. But do not worry. All will be well."

"Of course. When will you be leaving?"

"Presently. There is no point in waiting since we have both known this day would come."

"Then, I wish you good luck."

"Thank you, Commander. I wish you good fortune as well."

Adama watched as Dr. Zee picked up the suitcase he had packed between the time he'd been summoned and the time he'd arrived, then walked with him to the hangar where Dr. Zee's ship awaited. Dr. Zee had promised would send the ship back to the Galactica after he disembarked. He would have no further need of it.

Dr. Zee boarded the ship and sat down in the command chair.

"I am ready," he told the crew.

Adama watched as the ship lifted off. As it departed, a nurse hurried into the room, her eyes full of worry.

"Who just took off?" she asked.

"Dr. Zee," Adama replied. "He's decided he would blend in best with the people of England."

"He won't be able to blend in with the men of any country in a few months." the nurse told Adama, concernedly.

"What makes you say that?" Adama wanted to know.

"He's pregnant."


	2. Chapter 2

The Star Child's Heir

(being a Galactica 1980/Max Headroom link fic)

(Disclaimer: Neither Galactica 1980 nor Max Headroom belong to me.)

"Lords of Kobol," Adama breathed. "Are you certain?"

"We double-checked to make sure," the nurse replied. "We've estimated that his due date will be sometime this October, though we cannot be precise given the unique nature of this pregnancy. Even Dr. Zee himself is not sure how things will progress."

"He knows, then," Adama said, sounding both relieved and annoyed that his friend had known his condition when he had left for England on the planet Earth.

"He does, indeed," the nurse assured him. "And he has agreed to have a Galactican doctor accompany him during his stay on Earth."

"But how does he expect to explain his condition?" Adama wanted to know. "Surely people will notice!"

"He says he'll return to the Galactica during the last trimester when his pregnancy becomes obvious."

Adama's nod was barely noticeable, but the nurse acknowledge it.

"Keep me informed," he ordered as he returned his attention to his duties.

"Troy," Dillon said about ten minutes later, "I just got the weirdest call from the Commander."

"How weird?" Troy asked.

"He says Dr. Zee has moved to Earth."

"What's so weird about that? It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"And he's pregnant."

"Pregnant? Are you sure?" Troy inquired in surprise.

"That's what the doctors are saying," 

"Shall we stop by and offer our congratulations?"

"The Commander wants this kept hush-hush as long as possible. Just in case Xaviar learns of it and tries to take the child as a hostage." Dillon explained. "He says there's a doctor from the Galactica keeping an eye on him, but he wants us to drop by from time to time just to make sure things are okay."

"That's fine with me," Troy smiled. "I like Dr. Zee. I wonder if it'll be a boy or a girl."

"I'm sure we'll know soon enough," Dillon replied. "The Commander wants us to report to the Galactica for reassignment."

"Reassignment?"

"Dr. Zee is in London, England." Dillon explained. "I hear that's a very nice place."

Troy smiled ruefully.

"Thinking we ought to invite Jaimie?" Dillon asked, seeing the look on Troy's face.

"She has been very helpful to us," Troy agreed. "But I don't know if she'd want to leave the United States for an extended period of time."

"Why don't we ask her?" Dillon suggested.

"England?" Jaimie Hamilton asked an hour later, after she had gotten off work for the evening. "Why are you going there?"

"Dr. Zee is being relocated to London," Troy explained. "We've been assigned to keep an eye on him. Commander Adama feels he'll be safer down here."

"Why do I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me?" Jaimie asked, shrewdly.

"Will you come?" Dillon asked.

"I can't right away. I need to get a passport, and that'll only allow me to stay in the country for a limited period of time. How long do you need me there?"

"Until some time in October," Troy told her.

"October? That's over half a year away! I'll see what I can do. Why so long? Does this have something to do with that thing you're not telling me about Dr. Zee?"

"Yes," Troy said, knowing it would be pointless to lie to her. It might also cost him their friendship.

"Well, okay. Oh, how are you going to fit in? Once they hear you don't have a British accent they'll be demanding your passports, too."

"Oh, we'll think of something," Dillon assured her.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Star Child****'****s Heir**

**(being a Galactica 1980/Max Headroom link fic)**

**(Disclaimer: Neither Galactica 1980 nor Max Headroom belong to me.)**

**Things were quiet on Earth for Dr. Zee and the others in London until the last month of the third trimester. It was then that a large Cylon task force made their attacks on England, the United States, and Japan, causing massive land damage and resulting in a great number of human casualties.**

**Dr. Zee had remained on Earth when he had realized his pregnancy was too fragile to risk the higher gravity on the Galactica. Now, he was trapped in a shelter with his companions and a nurse from Earth that Jaimie had taken into their confidence minutes after the Galactican doctor had been killed by a Cylon invader. She had worked at the local hospital until the Cylons had leveled it the previous afternoon. There was a combination of fear and determination in her eyes as she checked over Jaimie and the Galacticans. **

"**Well, you all seem unharmed," she told them. Then she dropped the bombshell. "However, you need to get your friend to the hospital as quickly as possible for an emergency c-section. The baby has turned and is ready to be born."**

"**She's right," Dr. Zee told them, standing in doorway that lead from the shelter's main room to the pantry where the food was kept. "There's enough food to last us for a week. But we need baby formula and I need to give birth soon."**

"**But the local hospital was destroyed."**

"**Then we need to go to the nearest one," Dillon pointed out. "How far is it? Janine?"**

"**Thirty miles away in Chertsey," the nurse said, coming to her senses. If she was going to survive this new reality, then she'd better be professional. No more letting the shock get to her. She was a nurse, and people needed her. "The staff there have always been trained to deal with critical situations and the unexpected. We'll have our best luck with them."**

"**We can't risk ultra speed transport," Troy decided. "It would be too dangerous for the baby. We'll have to find another way."**

"**I'll call for an ambulance," Janine said. "We'll have to take the hospital staff into our confidence. Like I said before, they're trained to handle the unexpected."**

"**How do we know we can trust them to keep this pregnancy a secret?" Dillon asked.**

"**Doctor-Patient confidentiality," Janine assured them. "No information about any patient can be released without the patient's consent."**

"**We don't have a choice," Dr. Zee said, clearly in great discomfort. "The baby is ready to be born, and it cannot be born aboard the Galactica. The ship's stronger gravitational forces could crush its fragile form."**

"**Let's go then," Jaimie said, wanting to leave the shelter as quickly as she could. It had started feeling cramped in there, with nowhere to go. Now they had a place to go, and a very good reason to go there. **

**The first thing Jaimie and Janine both thought to themselves was how sad it was that Dr. Zee's child had to been born into such devestation. The Cylons had been defeated, but the casualties were still great, and those who had survived the war were in shock. Many of them just hid and grieved, while a few tried to work out how to put their lives back together.**

"**You must help them," Dr. Zee told Troy. "I will not be here to help you. I've done all I can to stay alive long enough to have my child. I will not survive the operation. Do not worry," he told Janine, "it is not anyone's fault. Although my mind is greatly advanced, my body has always been somewhat frail."**

"**And yet, you risked it for the sake of this child," Troy said. "Why?"**

"**The child's mind will be as advanced as my own," Dr. Zee explained. "That is my gift to the people of this world. When he is old enough, my son will provide them with the technology I will not be here to give. He turned to Janine, and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm placing my child in your hands. I want you to raise him. It is almost time for Miss Hamilton to return to the United States, she'll be needed there to help with the casualties her country has taken. And I'm certain her colleagues are worried about her."**

"**I'll come back to check on the baby whenever I can," Jaimie promised.**

"**Thank you," Dr. Zee said, as the ambulance arrived and Janine helped load him into the back.**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Star Child****'****s Heir**

**(being a Galactica 1980/Max Headroom link fic)**

**(Disclaimer: Neither Galactica 1980 nor Max Headroom belong to me.)**

**The hospital in Chertsey had suffered a lot of damage, but was still functioning.**

"**Looks like they could use some help," Troy said as he, Dillon, and Jaimie got out of their rental car. Jaimie had fast talked the rental agency into giving it to her after her original rental had been demolished by the Cylons. **

**Jaimie nodded in agreement and followed Troy inside to help with the casualties while Dillon met up with Janine and the ambulance and led everyone to the maternity ward for Dr. Zee's c-section.**

**Dr. Zee turned to Dillon as they reached the doors, a sad but hopeful expression on his face. It was a look neither Dillon nor Janine would ever forget.**

**Janine followed the doctors into the operating room, while Dillon turned his attention to a small girl who was standing next to her mother's stretcher with tears in her eyes. He wanted so desperately to help, but the Galactican fleet had sustained casualties of their own, and it was all their medical staff could do to keep the death toll to a minimum. He hoped the doctors here on Earth could save the woman's life. He hated to think that this child might lose her mother because of the Cylons that had followed them there.**

**The girl seemed to know what he was thinking. She looked up at him and frowned. "You're going to lose someone, too, aren't you?" she asked.**

**Dillon had no answer. To say yes would be to confirm the girl's fear that her mother would not survive. But to say no would be to perhaps give her false hope. Instead, he sighed and hoped that would be enough of a response for her.**

**Inside the operating room, Janine wanted to help more. But this was not her hospital, and all they would allow her to do was to comfort Dr. Zee. So she stood by him, holding his hand and speaking words of reassurance to him as they prepped him for surgery.**

"**Take care of my son," he whispered to her as his consciousness faded. "I'm counting on you, Miss Lynch."**

**Janine nodded. "I will," She promised. "Now, do you have a name picked out, or do you want me to chose one?"**

"**Bryce," Dr. Zee whispered. It was the last word he ever spoke.**

**Troy, Dillon, and Jaimie were waiting nervously for news of the baby when Janine stepped out of the operating room.**

"**A little small," she told them, "but healthy in every way."**

"**And Dr. Zee?"**

"**I'm sorry," Janine said, sadly. "He never even got to hold his son."**

"**We can't stay," Troy apologized to her. "We need to get back and help our people. But we will come back from time to time to check up on the baby. At least at first. I get the feeling he's going to be a handful."**

"**Thank you."**

"**Miss Lynch," a nurse said, coming out of the operating room with a small bundle in her arms, "he's perfectly healthy and you can take him home at any time. Assuming that is that you have a place to stay."**

"**I'm going to my aunt's house in Guildford," Janine told her as she took the baby. "At least for a little while. We'll be fine there."**

"**Well, then, I guess this is goodbye," Dillon said. "At least for now. Jaimie, are you ready to go?"**

**Jaimie, who had been smiling at the infant in Janine's arms, turned her attention back to the two men who had changed her life so much. "Yes."**

**As Janine stood in the crowd at the local bus station with her new infant son in her arms, she thought of those children who would now never be born. "You're very lucky," she told the sleeping baby. "Very lucky indeed, Bryce Lynch."**


End file.
